The Sixth Annual Young Playwrights of Tucson

Joleen Byrd

Joleen is very excited to have their show featured! They love the original Dracula by Bram Stoker, and are honored to absolutely ruin it with this masterpiece of chaos. Thank you everyone!

Alex Cramton

Alex Cramton is a junior at Catalina Foothills High School, involved there as an assistant director of Mary Poppins among other acting and tech roles. This is her fourth play featured by Young Playwrights, and she’s ecstatic to see “Daydream of a Supernal Cubicle” come to life!

Grace Keane

Grace Keane is 17, Tucson native, and has been a part of the theater community for as long as she can remember. Her typical role in the theater is on stage with some of her favorite roles being Eurydice in Eurydice, Gwendolen in The Importance Of Being Earnest, and currently Cady in Mean Girls. When not on stage, Grace also enjoys expressing her creativity through directing, stage design, and of course…playwriting! She is extremely grateful to have been selected for this year’s Young Playwrights Competition and wishes to express her deepest gratitude towards her friends and family for their continued support of her passion for the performing arts.

Carter Oswalt

Hello, my name is Carter Oswalt, and I am a Junior at Empire High School. I am the script writer for the short play ” What was in the cards”. In theater, I have written a play for Page to stage, but for the most part, I act. I’ve been a part of the casts in Ghost light, Sleepy Hollow, and The Lightning Thief musical in the past. I’d like to thank my friends and my family for supporting me in my theater career, and finally, I’d also like to thank Beyonce.

Emmalynn Whitney

My name is Emmalynn Whitney, I am currently in High School and I have had the amazing opportunity of being able to work on so many different shows such as being Asst. Stage Manager for the Empire high school productions of Chicago and Percy Jackson. I have also had the amazing opportunities of being able to be a sound designer for Live Theatre Workshops production of RAP-unzel! Getting my play chosen for Young Playwrights was absolutely amazing and I can’t wait to see it on the stage!

Nathaniel Wiley

Nathaniel Wiley, he/him, has performed professionally with Live Theatre Workshop, Saguaro City Music Theatre, and Arizona Theatre Company. Favorite roles include George Banks (MARY POPPINS), Deputy Jan (DEPUTY JAN), Zacky Price (BIG FISH), Dylan (TAKE A HIKE), and Winthrop Paroo (THE MUSIC MAN). His productions BACK TO THE 50s and THE MILHOUSE MURDER MYSTERY have previously been performed as a part of the Young Playwrights program. Nate has been a part of this incredible program for the past six years and is extremely excited to have his show, WRITER’S BLOCK, performed this year!

Stephen Frankenfield

Stephen Frankenfield is LTW’s Associate Artistic Director and Production Manager. He is a graduate of (AAMDA) American Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in New York City. He writes and directs for LTW’s Children’s Theatre, as well as the Education Department. He has had 7 of his plays published and produced around the world, in schools and other youth organizations. He has been acting, directing, and teaching for LTW for over 25 years.

Amanda Gremel

Amanda Gremel is the Artistic Director of Education here at LTW, which means she gets the chance to create wonderful seasons for our Children’s Theatre full of original and magical productions like the one you are about to see. She also runs our Education program which has grown so much over the past few years. She takes pride and honor in the work that her students accomplish each session and hopes to share with all children and their families the joy that comes with having arts in your life. Aside from enjoying her day job, She also directs, does choreography and she also likes to take to the stage from time to time. She was last seen on the Main Stage as Patsy Cline in ALWAYS…..PATSY CLINE, the many Women in NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY, earning her a MAC nomination, Bertha in BOEING BOEING and Chorus in HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE which won the MAC Award for best Drama. On the Children’s Theatre some of her favorite roles are the Cowardly Lion in THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, the Golden Goose in JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, Merlia in KING ARTHUR, and the Sheriff of Nottingham in ROBIN HOOD.

Richard Gremel

Richard Gremel is happy once again to be helping with the Young Playwrights of Tucson. Richard is the acting and technical theatre teacher at Empire High School. Under his direction, Empire has won multiple awards including featured mainstage at the AZ State Thespian festival, Best Musical of Tucson (2015 & 2022), and 4 State Championships in One Act including this year. Richard has been named OnMedia’s Tucson Arts Hero, has won Thespian Teacher of the Year Twice, and was named a Circle K top High School Teacher in 2016. Along with his teaching, Gremel is a published playwright with 12 plays that have been performed all over the world. You can find more information on Richard Gremel and his plays at www.richardgremelplaywright.com

Kristian Kissel

Bio Coming Soon!

Leslie J. Miller

Leslie J. Miller feels incredibly lucky to keep doing what she loves—telling stories on stage and off—year after year. At Live Theatre Workshop, she’s worn many hats as both actor and director, with directing credits including Murder at the Howard Johnson’s, Enchanted April, The Clean House, The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus, and The Mystery of Irma Vep. Acting highlights include the very recent LTW production of The Minutes, The Language Archive (Winding Road Theater), Radiant Vermin(LTW), and Ms. Nelson Is Missing(LTW). She’s especially grateful for the opportunity to mentor and learn alongside a new generation of theatre artists—playwrights, directors, performers, and tech wizards alike—whose creativity and passion light the way forward. Huge thanks to the artistic team and staff at Live Theatre Workshop for always making space for collaboration, curiosity, and community.

What Was In The Cards

Written by Carter Oswalt, Directed by Alex Cramton.

Carson Cassidy wanders into a large casino, he has no idea who he is, or where he is. He is approached by Mr/Miss Katz with all the answers to his questions, revealing he is dead. They
offer life back, but he must win a game.

Art by Catherine Oda

The First Lemonade

Written by Emmalynn Whitney, Directed by Amelia Manchester

In the time of the Roman Empire, circa 356 AD, there’s a situation. Marty needs to make
money to take his crush to the Celebration of Life Festival. He tries to figure out what to do, and how to do it. When he’s at his lowest Life hands him a lemon….literally! Now what is he to do with this lemon? Enjoy the exciting adventure of a boy who was able to create the very first
lemonade that we all know and love today.

Art by Catherine Oda

Daydream of a Supernal Cubicle

Written by Alex Cramton, Directed by Matthew Frankenfield

An ever-optimistic office worker is, upon beating the record for most client calls taken, certain he will be deemed the Employee of the Month. But, when another month of nepotism-fueled awarding occurs, he can’t help but feel his endlessly efficacious spirit be dimmed.


Art by Catherine Oda

Writers' Block

Written by Nathaniel Wiley, Directed by Matthew Frankenfield

Robin, a successful novelist, needs to tell someone about his writer’s block.
So, he turns to the local psychologist, Dr. Parker. Although they don’t get along, the two
make progress in their conversations. However, when Dr. Parker accidentally falls in love with Robin’s girlfriend, tensions boil over. “Writer’s Block” has it all: romance,
drama, whoopee cushions, and a mother-in-law built for sports.

Art by Catherine Oda

Journey to the Rain

Written by Grace Keane, Directed by Nathaniel Wiley

Nana tells the ancient Native American myth about The Fly and Hummingbird to her
grandchildren in an effort to help them better appreciate and understand their culture.
During this story time the kids realize a personal connection to the myth which is manifested in the way that they become the characters in the story.

Art by Catherine Oda

Dracula Goes to Florida

Written by Joleen Byrd, Directed by Emmalynn Whitney

In gloomy Romania, an oblivious Count Dracula “seeks” (holds hostage) the help of real estate agent Johnathan Harker in order to move out of his home country once and for all. Shenanigans ensue, and as expected from a Dracula adaptation, things get weird.

Art by Catherine Oda